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Using hasAttribute in JavaScript DOM (Live Playground)

In this tutorial, we will learn how to use the hasAttribute method in JavaScript to check if an HTML element has a specified attribute. We'll cover the basics of the hasAttribute method and provide sample code with explanations.

What is hasAttribute?​

The hasAttribute method is a built-in JavaScript DOM method that allows you to check if an HTML element has a specified attribute. You can use the hasAttribute method to perform conditional operations on your web page's content based on the presence of attributes.

Sample Code: Using hasAttribute​

Let's say we have the following HTML document:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>hasAttribute Example</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <div id="mainContainer">
      <h1 class="mainHeading">Welcome to My Web Page!</h1>
      <p class="mainParagraph" id="firstParagraph">This is an introductory paragraph.</p>
      <p id="secondParagraph">This is another paragraph without a class attribute.</p>
    </div>
  </body>
</html>

To use hasAttribute to check if an attribute is present on an HTML element, you'll need to include a JavaScript <script> tag in your HTML document. For this example, we will add an inline script, although it's generally recommended to use external JavaScript files for larger projects.

Here's how you can use the hasAttribute method to check if the class attribute is present on the p element with the ID secondParagraph:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>hasAttribute Example</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <div id="mainContainer">
      <h1 class="mainHeading">Welcome to My Web Page!</h1>
      <p class="mainParagraph" id="firstParagraph">This is an introductory paragraph.</p>
      <p id="secondParagraph">This is another paragraph without a class attribute.</p>
    </div>

    <script>
      // Select the element with the ID "secondParagraph"
      var secondParagraph = document.getElementById('secondParagraph');

      // Use hasAttribute to check if the "class" attribute is present
      var hasClassAttribute = secondParagraph.hasAttribute('class');

      // Display the result in the console
      console.log("Does the second paragraph have a 'class' attribute?:", hasClassAttribute);
    </script>
  </body>
</html>

After running this code, the console will display: "Does the second paragraph have a 'class' attribute?: false".

Live Playground, Try it Yourself

Conclusion​

The hasAttribute method is a useful tool for checking the presence of HTML element attributes in the DOM. By mastering this method, you can perform conditional operations on your web page's content based on the presence of attributes, allowing you to create more dynamic and interactive experiences for your users.